Metra Electric Line schedule to change this week

The schedule for the Metra Electric Line will change this week to improve train spacing under the new Positive Train Control safety system.

To accommodate a new automated operating system north of the Museum Campus/11th Street station certain trains will arrive or depart at different times, while others will be cancelled, according to Metra.

The South Chicago Branch outbound Train 407 that normally leaves at 5:15 p.m. from Millennium Station will no longer be in service. The earlier train on this line, Train 405, will now have a delayed departure of 5:05 p.m.

A number of trains will be scheduled for different departure and arrival times during the morning and evening rush hours.The time changes are expected to vary between two and five minutes, said Metra.

Trains leaving Millennium Station for University Park will experience several delays. Train 707 will now depart at 5:21 p.m. instead of 5:17 p.m., Train 737 will depart at 5:24 p.m. instead of 5:20 p.m. and Train 757 will depart at 5:27 p.m. instead of 5:23 p.m., Metra said.

These changes will help the Metra Electric Line comply with Positive Train Control, a federally mandated safety system that prevents collisions, derailments and other accidents by using GPS location, communications units and dispatching to track trains, Metra said.

More schedule changes are expected as this new program is fully implemented across Metra lines, officials said.